Chapter Summaries

Tang Tian and the Pelicans used strong defense and timely three-point shooting to beat the Thunder 91-79 at home, extending their winning streak to three games. Westbrook carried the Thunder for much of the game, but the Pelicans pulled away late and sealed the win.

• Tang Tian opened with four consecutive spectacular dunks as the Pelicans and Thunder traded early baskets.
• The Thunder and Pelicans exchanged defensive adjustments, and the Pelicans led 45-40 at halftime.
• Tang Tian suggested double-teaming Westbrook, and the Pelicans began trapping him after the break while Tang Tian hit a three-pointer.
• Ariza made a three after Tang Tian passed out of a double-team, and the Pelicans extended their lead as Jones continued to miss.
• The Pelicans wore down Westbrook in the fourth quarter and defeated the Thunder 91-79 for their third straight win.

Tang Tian led the Pelicans to a win over the Thunder, then watched his team build a 6-1 record before a pivotal matchup with the undefeated Spurs. Popovich praised the Pelicans before the game, leaving Tang Tian amused that his old coach had ignored their agreement and hyped the team instead.

• Tang Tian scored 27 points in the Pelicans' win over the Thunder and praised his teammates in interviews and at the press conference.
• Watson congratulated Tang Tian courtside, and he offered to arrange better seats for her at a future game.
• The Pelicans won six of their first seven games, while Jokic lost weight by following Cecilia's meal plan.
• Tang Tian met Popovich for wine in San Antonio, and Popovich complimented his chances of winning MVP.
• Popovich told reporters the Pelicans were the league's strongest team, and Tang Tian saw the report before their game.

The Pelicans faced the Spurs, who took an early 7-0 lead by exploiting the Pelicans’ rushed offense and interior mistakes. Tang Tian settled his teammates and scored the Pelicans’ first basket with a pull-up jumper, leaving them back in the game.

• Whiteside and Davis expressed confidence before Tang Tian greeted his former Spurs teammates ahead of the game.
• Leonard stripped Whiteside, and the Spurs scored through Gasol to take a 4-0 lead.
• Davis missed two attempts, the Spurs grabbed the defensive rebound, and Gasol scored again before Leonard added a layup and a free throw for a 7-0 lead.
• Tang Tian called the Pelicans together, urged them to slow down, and singled out Whiteside to calm him after the turnover.
• Tang Tian used the Pelicans’ spacing to get past Green and hit a pull-up jumper, ending the scoring drought.

Tang Tian used pick-and-rolls and encouragement to involve Davis and the Pelicans instead of carrying the offense alone against the Spurs. Davis scored repeatedly, and the chapter left Popovich convinced that Tang Tian had the qualities of an MVP.

• Tang Tian fed Davis on a high pick-and-roll, but Davis missed a bank shot, and Tang Tian reassured him as the Spurs kept their lead.
• Whiteside held his ground against Gasol and contested his hook shot, but Leonard grabbed the rebound and drew a foul before making both free throws.
• Tang Tian drew a double-team and passed to Davis, who made a mid-range shot as the Pelicans began to respond.
• Whiteside blocked Leonard at the rim, and Ariza recovered the loose ball to secure a defensive stop for the Pelicans.
• Tang Tian drew another double-team and bounced a pass to Davis, who dunked through Duncan's foul and completed a 2+1 play.
• Popovich watched Tang Tian create opportunities and lift his teammates, deciding that Tang Tian truly had the ability to win MVP.

The Pelicans struggled against the Spurs’ targeted defense and went into halftime trailing 53-41. Tang Tian rallied his teammates to treat the difficult game as preparation for the challenges they would face on the road to a championship.

• The Pelicans and Spurs finished the first quarter tied at 23.
• Popovich called an early second-quarter timeout, and the Spurs targeted Jokic to draw fouls and limit his playmaking.
• With Jokic struggling and the Pelicans’ bench lacking firepower, the Spurs built an eight-point lead before the starters returned.
• Tang Tian and Davis scored for the Pelicans, but Pau Gasol and Green answered as the Spurs took a 53-41 halftime lead.
• Tang Tian told the gloomy Pelicans that they needed to learn to handle adversity and execute perfectly to beat the Spurs and win a championship.

At halftime, Tang Tian’s words steadied the Pelicans, and they returned to face the Spurs with renewed toughness. The Pelicans steadily cut into the deficit, and Tang Tian earned a chance to bring it within single digits.

• Tang Tian spoke to the Pelicans at halftime, and their confidence and determination grew.
• Leonard and Duncan helped the Spurs extend their lead to 15 points early in the second half.
• Whiteside scored on putbacks and Tang Tian attacked the paint as the Pelicans tightened their defense and cut the gap to 12 points.
• Leonard’s and-one restored the Spurs’ lead, but Tang Tian answered with a three and assisted Whiteside’s dunk to make it a 10-point game.
• Pau Gasol hit a mid-range jumper, then Tang Tian finished through Duncan’s contact and drew a foul, giving the Pelicans a chance to cut the deficit to single digits.

The Pelicans rallied from a large deficit to tie the Spurs in the final minute, and Tang Tian gave them a late lead with a dunk over Green. Ariza then defended Leonard’s last shot, leaving the Pelicans ahead with the outcome unresolved.

• Tang Tian scored through contact to help the Pelicans cut the deficit, and Holiday later converted an and-one after Ariza stole Parker’s pass.
• The Pelicans drew level at 91 with one minute remaining, but Tang Tian missed a pull-up jumper and Duncan secured the rebound.
• Whiteside blocked Leonard’s shot and grabbed the rebound, setting up a fast break that ended with Tang Tian dunking over Green for a two-point Pelicans lead.
• Ariza contested Leonard’s final fadeaway jumper, which missed as the Spurs’ possession ended.

The Pelicans held off the Spurs 97-93, with Tang Tian making two late free throws, forcing a turnover, and sealing the win with a fast-break dunk. The victory put New Orleans in Western Conference first place and left Holt hoping the Spurs would get another chance to eliminate them in the playoffs.

• Davis secured a defensive rebound and called a timeout with the Pelicans up two and 20 seconds left.
• Tang Tian made both free throws after the Spurs fouled him, extending the Pelicans' lead to four.
• Parker assisted Leonard on a quick layup, bringing the Spurs within two with 14 seconds remaining.
• Leonard stole Davis's inbound pass, but Tang Tian poked the ball away from Leonard and raced downcourt for a one-handed tomahawk dunk.
• Ginobili missed a late three, Davis grabbed the rebound, and the Pelicans won 97-93 to take Western Conference first place.
• Holt took medication after watching the game and hoped the Spurs would eliminate the Pelicans in the playoffs.

After the Pelicans' game against the Spurs, Tang Tian angrily defended Jokic from a reporter's insult at the press conference. Back in New Orleans, Tang and Davis discussed the Warriors' rise as a serious rival for the top spot in the West.

• At the press conference, Tang Tian praised Whiteside, Williams, and Davis before a FOX Sports reporter called Jokic a pile of fat and asked whether he had hit the Rookie Wall.
• Tang Tian demanded the reporter identify himself, cursed at him for insulting Jokic, and warned him that he would regret his remarks.
• Fans praised Tang Tian for standing up for Jokic, and the league did not fine Tang for his comments.
• The Pelicans returned to New Orleans and resumed preparing to defend their place atop the Western Conference.
• After practice, Tang Tian and Davis discussed the Warriors, who had won seven straight games and were closing in on the Pelicans and Spurs.

Tang Tian encouraged Jokic during their extra training as Jokic lost weight and worked to improve. By the end of November, the Pelicans remained first in the Western Conference, prompting debate over whether they and other surprise teams could sustain their success.

• Tang Tian and Jokic completed their extra training, and Jokic thanked Tang Tian for defending him at a press conference.
• Jokic told Tang Tian he weighed 127 kilograms and credited Cecilia's meal plan for helping him lose weight.
• Tang Tian encouraged Jokic by comparing his development to Antetokounmpo's, and Jokic stayed behind and fell asleep in the Training Facility.
• The Pelicans finished November with a 14-2 record, ahead of the Warriors and Spurs at the top of the Western Conference.
• Fans argued over ESPN's preseason predictions and whether the Pelicans and Warriors could remain championship contenders.

After losing weight and spending weeks out of the rotation, Jokic was placed on the Pelicans’ active roster for their game against the Nuggets in Denver. The Nuggets built a double-digit lead by exploiting their high-altitude home court, and Williams sent Jokic onto the court to open the second quarter.

• Jokic dropped from 133 kilograms to 120 kilograms, and Williams added him to the active roster for the Nuggets game.
• The Pelicans traveled to Denver and struggled during acclimation practice as the altitude drained their energy.
• The Pelicans and Nuggets announced their starting lineups before Faried won the opening tip and Chandler hit an early three-pointer.
• The Pelicans’ shooting faltered as altitude sickness set in, and the Nuggets’ reserves helped them take a 32-22 first-quarter lead.
• Williams sent Jokic onto the court to start the second quarter, while the exhausted Pelicans veterans watched him rise calmly.

Jokic sparked the Pelicans’ second-quarter comeback with a three-pointer and a series of creative assists against Nurkic and the Nuggets. After Gordon’s fast-break layup, the Pelicans had cut the lead to nine points.

• Gordon missed a layup, and Nurkic grabbed the rebound before Nelson set him up for a dunk as the Nuggets stretched their lead to 15 points.
• Jokic passed behind his head to Ariza for a layup, then hit a three-pointer to help cut the deficit to 10 points.
• Nurkic answered with an offensive-rebound dunk, but Jokic drove past him and passed to Aminu for a slam.
• Nurkic drew a shooting foul from Jokic and made one free throw before Jokic secured the rebound after the second shot missed.
• Jokic threw a long pass to Gordon, who caught it near midcourt and scored a layup to bring the Nuggets’ lead down to nine points.

Jokic’s unexpected playmaking and shooting sparked a huge Pelicans comeback against the Nuggets, who had led by 10 in the first quarter. The Pelicans won 108–85, while Jokic finished with 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists in his return.

• Jokic scored and rebounded to help the Pelicans cut into the Nuggets’ lead before both teams made substitutions.
• Tang Tian dunked twice off Jokic’s rebounds and long passes, then hit a catch-and-shoot three to bring the Pelicans within two points.
• Jokic hit another three to put the Pelicans ahead, then left the game after tiring.
• Whiteside blocked Lawson’s drive and dunked a putback as the Pelicans extended their momentum.
• The Pelicans outscored the Nuggets 35–10 in the second quarter and won 108–85, with Tang Tian scoring 20 points and Jokic recording 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists.

After Jokic’s strong performance against the Nuggets, Tang Tian defended him publicly and called out reporter Corey Antrif for insulting him. During the Pelicans’ three-day break, Tang Tian won Western Conference Player of the Month and dominated the first round of All-Star voting, while his MVP prospects drew growing attention.

• Tang Tian and Davis congratulated Jokic after the game, and Tang Tian confronted a FOX Sports reporter at the press conference over Corey Antrif’s earlier insult of Jokic.
• The league announced its November awards: Wiggins and Jabari Parker were Rookies of the Month, Budenholzer and Monty Williams were Coaches of the Month, the Hawks’ starting five shared the Eastern Player of the Month award, and Tang Tian won in the West.
• The league reported that Embiid would miss the rest of the season with an injury, dealing a blow to the Mavericks.
• Pelicans players celebrated Tang Tian’s award, and the team’s official account asked why he could not win MVP; ESPN also listed him as a candidate, placing him fourth.
• The first-round 2015 NBA All-Star voting results gave Tang Tian 750,000 votes, nearly 200,000 more than James in second place.

Anthony Davis fractured a hand after slipping while picking up soap, forcing the Pelicans to face the Hawks without him. Tang Tian encouraged Davis and helped Williams prepare the team to counter the Hawks’ ball movement with physical defense.

• Williams told the Pelicans that Davis would miss four to six weeks with a hand fracture sustained after slipping in the shower.
• Tang Tian texted Davis encouragement, and Davis replied that he would keep a good mindset.
• Williams named Aminu to replace Davis in the starting lineup, and Tang Tian joked that the team should win for Davis while he rested.
• Jeff Teague said the Hawks wanted to beat the Pelicans to prove themselves against a top team, even without Davis.
• Tang Tian and Williams prepared the Pelicans to pressure the Hawks physically, disrupt their passing, and fight for rebounds.

The Pelicans used aggressive defense and rebounding to overwhelm the Hawks early in Atlanta, despite playing without Davis. The chapter left the Hawks struggling to execute their offense as they fell behind by six points.

• Tang Tian greeted Budenholzer before the game, and the Pelicans started Aminu in place of the injured Davis.
• Ariza grabbed his own missed three-pointer and passed to Tang Tian, who scored the Pelicans’ first basket.
• The Pelicans’ pressure disrupted the Hawks’ offense, while Tang Tian and Whiteside helped extend the lead to 8-2.
• The Hawks’ stalled possession ended in a 24-second violation as the Pelicans continued to control the game.

The Pelicans blew out the Hawks, prompting Xiao Hua to reassure a betting company that he would adjust referee rules to help resolve its concerns. The Pelicans then beat the Knicks and Pacers but lost a triple-overtime defensive battle to the Celtics, leaving Tang Tian's 46-point performance in defeat.

• The Pelicans defeated the Hawks 108-89 as seven players scored in double digits, and Williams praised the team's defense.
• Xiao Hua promised a betting company that he was considering loosening referee-calling standards after the Pelicans' unexpected win caused it losses.
• Tang Tian scored over 40 points as the Pelicans beat the Knicks 102-99 without Davis, then defeated the Pacers 97-81 to extend their winning streak to five games.
• ESPN ranked the Pelicans third in the league, behind the Spurs and Cavaliers.
• The Celtics erased a 13-point deficit, forced three overtimes, and beat the Pelicans 114-110 as Tang Tian scored a season-high 46 points.

After the Pelicans’ winning streak ended against the Celtics, Tang Tian met with Brad Stevens for coffee and found a coach whose tactical insight impressed him. They parted hoping to face each other in the Finals someday, while Tang Tian confirmed Stevens had not traveled through time.

• Tang Tian congratulated Brad Stevens after the game and invited him to talk over coffee, which Stevens accepted.
• Tang Tian asked how Stevens had anticipated his planned final possession, and Stevens explained that he had studied the Pelicans’ games and Coach Williams’ tendencies.
• Tang Tian and Stevens discussed their coaching and basketball backgrounds, each gaining a strong appreciation for the other’s tactical understanding.
• Tang Tian asked Stevens whether he had traveled through time, and Stevens laughed and said he wished he could.
• Tang Tian told Stevens he hoped they would one day reach the Finals together.

Tang Tian visited Whiteside’s apartment after they went to a pet store, where Whiteside showed him his beloved fish. Whiteside explained that he rented a cheap, supposedly haunted place because he feared poverty more than ghosts, and looked forward to buying a bigger home for his family next season.

• Tang Tian ran into Whiteside after practice, and they went together to a pet store, where Tang Tian bought deworming medicine and Whiteside bought fish food.
• Tang Tian drove Whiteside home and saw his two fish tanks, as Whiteside introduced his colorful fish and their names.
• Whiteside told Tang Tian that fish were convenient pets and that he talked to them every day.
• Tang Tian asked why Whiteside lived in a small apartment far from the arena, and Whiteside said it was the cheapest place in the area despite rumors that it was haunted.
• Whiteside explained that being broke and having lived near bombings in Lebanon scared him more than ghosts, then said he hoped to buy a large house for his mother and siblings next season.

Tang Tian reunited with Olson after she finished filming Fantastic Beasts, and they spent time together on the beach with Little Lion. They discovered a nesting sea turtle and returned home after an intimate encounter in their car.

• Tang Tian practiced basketball dribbling with Little Lion before learning that Olson would return to New Orleans after filming wrapped.
• Tang Tian picked Olson up at the airport, and they drove to the shore with Little Lion.
• Little Lion circled a sea turtle on the beach, and Tang Tian returned it to the ocean before it came back to its nest.
• Tang Tian found turtle eggs beneath the sand, covered them again, and led Little Lion away so they would not disturb the nesting turtle.
• Tang Tian and Olson kissed in the car and had sex while Little Lion slept in the front seat.